Door-opener.



N0. 762,729v PATENTED JUNE 14, 1904. T. E. LEE.

DOOR OPENER.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 7, 1903.

no MODEL.

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' THOMAS ELLIOTT LEE, OF OHULAVI-STA, CALIFORNIA.

DOOR-OPENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 762,729, dated June 14, 1904. Application filed November 7, 1903- Serial No. 180,191. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS ELLIOTT LEE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Ohulavista, in the county of San Diego and State of California, have invented a new and Improved Door-Opener, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of this invention is to provide a device for enabling spring-closed doors to be readily opened toward a person passing through the doorway.

The invention is particularly adaptable to screen-doors, but may of course be used in connection with doors of other sorts; and it comprises a means mounted on the door mechanism or frame which when engaged by the foot of a person passing the door will act to throw the door open toward the person and enable the person to pass through the door without using his hands to open the door.

This specification is an exact description of one example of my invention, while the claims define the actual scope thereof.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention in use. Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing the opening-lever, and Fig. 3is an enlarged side view of the rail which is placed on the door.

(4 indicates the door frame or casement, and Z) indicates the door, which is mounted, according to the arrangement here shown, on hinges c and arranged to swing away from the door-frame, as illustrated in Fig. 1.

Mounted on the frame a is a plate or body (Z, having bearings cl, in which is arranged to rock the fulcrum-shaft c of an elbow-lever, the arm f of which is in the form of a rectangular loop and the arm 9 of which is in the form of a rod considerably longer than the arm f and formed at its free end with a lateral finger g.'

h'indieates a spring for holding the parts f and g yieldingly in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fastened to the door 6 is the rail 2', which is preferably formed of wire and has shanks 2' by means of which the rail is secured in place. I

The spring-hinges 0 of the door 6 normally close the door and cause the rail 2' to bear against the finger g of the arm g, said arm normally standing vertical, as shown. The body-plate (Z is mounted suflicientl y above the threshold of the door to enable the arm f to be swung down from its normally horizontal to vertical position. Accordingly when it is desired to open the door it is only necessary to engage ones foot with the arm f, whereupon the arm is thrown down in the vertical position'and the, arm g is thrown out in the horizontal position. This throws the door 6 open with a sharpmovement, and the person may then pass through the door before it is closed by the springs of the hinges 0.

This device is useful in various connections, as will be apparent. It is particularly useful in connection with spring-mounted screendoors, which are frequently used in restaurants and similar places and which have to be passed by persons carrying a load which occupies both arms. In such cases, according to the practice followed heretofore, great difficulty is experienced in opening the door; but by means of my invention the door maybe readily and quickly opened.

Various changes in the form, proportions, and minor details of my invention may be resorted to at will without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Hence I consider myself entitled to all such variations as may lie within the intent of my claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The combination with a door and its frame, of an elbow-lever having a horizontal fulcrum on the frame adjacent to the free portion of the door, said lever having one arm standing normally vertical and the other arm normally horizontal, and the vertical arm having connection with the said free portion of the door, whereby upon depressing the horizontal arm of the lever the vertical arm will act to throw open the door.

2. The combination with a door and its frame, of an elbow-lever having a horizontal fulcrum on the frame, one arm of the lever normally extending upward alongside of the framing and the other arm extending outward therefrom, and a rail attached to the free portion of the door and overhanging the edge thereof, with the overhanging portion-of whichrail the first-named arm of the lever has sliding connection.

3. A door opening device, comprising a body or supporting member, a fulcrum-shaft mounted therein, a lever-arm attached to said shaft and having rectangular form, a second lever-arm also attached to the shaft and having a laterally-projected end portion, and a spring bearing between the said fulcrum-shaft and the body or supporting member.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS ELLIOTT LEE.

Witnesses:

F. E. PINKHAM, R. 0. LEE. 

